Residents in the Cayman Islands staged the inaugural celebration of Canada’s national sport.
Hockey Day in Cayman took place at Club House sports bar over the weekend. The Treasure Island, West Bay Road establishment hosted a variety of skills challenges, Hockey Bingo and children-friendly activities like hockey card trading and table hockey.
Among the dozens of youngsters who got involved in the festivities on Grand Cayman was Jagger Hope, 14. The Seven Mile Beach native, who was born here, is fully inculcated into hockey as he, his brother Wyatt Hope and sister Flynn Hope are star youth roller hockey players.
The Cayman International School student, whose dad is Canadian Chris Hope and whose mum is Anne Hope, states the Club House event is good for the sport.
“I’ve been playing since I was three and this is really good, it gives people a chance to get involved in the kids league,” Jagger said. “It’s definitely going to help more people get out. Now there are not too many people into it on the Island. Hopefully next time they’ll come out.”
As Hope alluded to, the event was a fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Kings travel team. Made up of players from the Logic Youth Roller Hockey League (Cayman’s national junior hockey competition), the C.I. Kings have grown to represent almost six complete teams and intends to represent Cayman in three events this year, including one on home soil.
Last year, the side earned gold and silver medals at the Sunshine State Games in Fort Myers, Florida (which is backed by the Florida Sports Foundation and the East Coast Hockey Organization). In anticipation of the tournaments, the side began training last month using beach fitness sessions and power skating routines.
A number of adults joined in on the celebration, including adult hockey players Joe Jewitt, Mark Missal and Darryl Hather. Residents involved in other sports also had a presence such as Cayman Islands Little League President Paul Gallagher. The American, whose son Davin has a growing interest in hockey, states hockey has a vital role on the Cayman sports scene.
“The event is great to promote the sport,” Gallagher said. “There are a lot of Canadians in Cayman. Reinforcing the link between hockey and Cayman makes Cayman a much more kind, happy place.”
The Club House event is a spin-off of Hockey Day in Canada, an annual Spring celebration that takes place over a number of days. All seven of the National Hockey League’s Canadian teams are in action in the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets. Small communities across Canada also play the sport on a large scale and there are special events like all-night pick-up hockey games.
A few visitors from Canada were in Cayman for the event. Among them was Toronto native Charlie Needham, 3. He took part in some of the skills challenges and stated in passing, “I enjoyed it, I had lots of fun.”
Hockey Day in Cayman is the second major hockey fundraiser this year. Back in January, Camana Bay’s second annual street hockey tournament raised thousands of dollars for the Cayman Hospice Care and UNICEF Cayman Kids charities.
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